Poverty is capability deprivation of the highest magnitude. Poverty contributes to vulnerability; it is the sense of defenselessness, and inability to make the optimum choices in the presence of a stressor like a flood or drought or a earthquake. The poor do not have any power to mobilize the right capitals; economic, cultural and political and capitalize on their social capitals to extricate themselves out of the current mess. Most of the resource poor in the developing world are dependent upon the environmental commons for their livelihoods; subsistence agriculture and fishing. In the light of urbanization and globalization, there is displacement from rural to urban space due to work pressures and the loss of incomes from farm based occupations. Sustainable Development is a policy nightmare, balancing fiscal and environmental stressor on a level playing platform is not possible. Poverty drives people to cut tress for logging companies and for mono-culture palm oil plantations in Kalimantan and the Amazonian regions. They are the lungs of the earth and the ideal climate change buffers. Local economic factors jeopardize global climate dynamics.

Norway is linking development aid to Indonesia to forest conservation, in its ‘forest pact’. Global Philanthropic foundations are increasing climate change adaptation funds for local communities. Human migration on a large scale will happen if we do not create buffers and adequate income generating resources at the local and regional levels. Microfinance is a major tool which can provide capital to start sustainable businesses around eco-tourism ventures in Vietnam and Indonesia. Poverty alleviation, local economic development with developmental aid and micro finance is fundamental for sustainability…